Housing for flexible service tubes and cables



June 5, 1923.

W. T. CALDWELL HOUSING FOR FLEXIBLE SERVICE TUBES AND CABLES Filed Oct.1, 1921 v/Z I INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYC) Patented June 5, 11923.

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W T. CALDWELL, F GLENDALE, CALIFORNIA.

HOUSING FOR JELE 31' LE snnvron 'r'o'nns an'n CLES.

Application filed October 1, 1921. Serial No. 504,824.

. the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a housing for flexible service tubes and cables;the principal objects of my invention being to provide a relativelysimple and practical construction that will serve as a sup ort and ahousing for the air and water tu es that are utilized in garages andservice stations for motor vehicles, to provide a support and housingthat will hold tubes, cables and the like in con- Venient position wherethey may be readily withdrawn when used; and further to provide thehousing of the device with means whereby it may be locked to prevent theunauthorized use or removal of the inclosed flexible tubes and cables.

Withthe foregoing and other objects in view, my invention consists incertain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts thatwill be hereinafter more fully described and claimed and illustrated inthe accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical section taken through the center of a flexibletube and cable housing of my improved construction.

ig. 2 is a perspective view of the upper art of the housing and showingthe openmg through which the tube or cable passesduring its movementinto and out of the housing. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the upperportion of the housing and showing the means utilized for locking thedoor or opening in the upper end thereof.

ig. 4 is an enlarged vertical section taken ap roximately on the line 44of Fig. 2.

ig. 5 is a vertical section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawings which illustrate apractical embodiment of my invention, designates a vertically disposedtubular housing pref erabl constructed of sheet metal and which may econveniently located in a garage or service station, and as illustratedin Fig. 1, it is desirable, although not essential, that the lower partof the housing be extendedv downwardly intothe-ground so that the upperportion projects a short distance, for

instance three or four feet above the ground.

The-upper end of the housing is closed by a fixed cap 11, and the lowerend is provided with one or more openings 12 which will permit the readyescape of any water that might otherwise accumulate in the bottom of thetube. Formed in the upper portion of the wall of the tube is an opening13 that is normally closed by a hinged door 14, and the latter beingprovided at its free edge with a hinged hasp 15 that is adapted toreceive an eye or staple 16 that is secured to the body of the housing,and to lock the hasp and door'in closed positions, the shackle of asuitable padlock 17 is inserted through the eye or staple l6.

Formed in the wall of housing 10, preferably at a point opposite theopening 13,

is anopening 18, and secured to the housing around said opening is ashort outwardly projecting housing 19, the opening at the outer end ofwhich is closed by a pair of outwardly swinging doors 20 that are hingedat their outer edges to the forward edges of the side walls of housing19. Secured to the central portion ofone of these doors is a flexiblemember 21, preferably a chain or cable, the free end of which carries aweight 22, and said chain or cable is adapted to overlie a pin or hook23 that projects outwardly from the outer face of the opposite door- 20.

Secured to the inner face ofhousing 10 and disposed about the opening 18is a substantially rectangular frame 24 having inset side walls 25, andformed in the latter are vertically disposed slots 26, and extendinglaterally from each slot on one side thereof is a series of notches 27.These notches areadapted to receive the trunnions or ends of a shaft 28that carry a roller 29, the latter being positioned between the walls25, and to retain -the shaft in a pair of the notches 27, thelegs of aninverted. U-shaped retaining member 30 are inserted through the top offrame 24, the lower ends of'which legs rest onflanges 3.1 that projectoutwardly from the side walls below the slots and notches therein. Byvirtue of the construction thus described, roller 29 is made verticallyadjustable in the upper portion of housing 24.

Journaled between the lower portions of the side walls 25 is a roller 32that co-operone end of a flexible tube 3 that normally hangs downwardwithin the housing 10 thereby forming an elongated U -shaped loop, thelower portion of which passes beneath a pulley 38 that is journaled in ablock 39. Detachably connected to block 39 is a depending screw threadedrod 40 on which is screw seated a series of counterbalancing weightsections 41.

The end of the flexible tube 37 opposite the end that is connected topipe sections .35 passes between rollers 29 and 32 and extends outwardthrough housing: 19, and the outer end of said flexible tube carries asuitable faucet 42 or pneumatic tire filling valve. Secured to the innerend of said faucet is one end of a compression spring 43 that surroundsthe flexible tube'that is immediately .adjacent to said nozzle, and theinner end of said spring is connected to a ring 44 that is looselyarranged on the flexible tube. This ring 44 'is preferably formed ofrubber or the like, and when the flexible tube is outof service andpositioned within the housing 10, said ring bears directly against therollers 29 and 32, as illustrated in Fig. 1.

The counterbalancin weights 41 normally retain the main dy portion ofthe flexible tube within the housing 10, and

when so positioned the faucet 42 projects a short distance beyond thedoors 20, andto use'the flexible tube the faucet is engaged and pulledoutwardly thereby pulling the body of theflexible tube upwardly throughthe housing and between the rollers 29 and 32, thus the faucet may bedrawn to a position a considerable distance away from the housing, andwhen the desired amount of flexible tube has been drawn out it will beprevented from rearward movement into the ousing by the action ofdoors-20 which act as restraining devices, inasmuch as their free edgesengage the flexible tube on oppo site sides thereof, and said doorsbeing drawn into engagement with said tube by weight 22 that isconnected to chain or cable 21 and which latter passes over pin 23.

To permit the return of the flexible tube to the interior of the housin.it is only necessary to lift weight -22 a s ort distance and swing thedoors 20 outwardly away from engagement with the flexible tube, and

insane the counterbalancing weights 41 will now act to draw the flexibletube into the housing.

When it is desired to lock the housing and prevent the removal orunauthorized use of the flexible tube, inverted U-shaped member 30 isWithdrawn and roller 29 is elevated a suflicicnt distance to permit theend of the flexible tube carrying faucet 42 and ring 44 to be drawn intothe upper portion of the housing after which the faucet is secured to asuitably located hook or other support within the housing and the door.14 is locked by the engagement of a' padlock. With the parts soarranged it will be impossible to withdraw the flexible tube and faucetfrom the housing.

My improved housing is particularly designed: for supporting andcontaining. flexible tubes that are utilized for supplyin water andcompressed air to motor vehicles and the like and for supporting andcontaining the cables or conductors of extension electric lamps, andin'some' instances it may be found advantageous to arrangeall of theflexible tubes and cables within a single housing.

My improved construction affords a relatively simple and convenientarran ement for supporting and holding the exible tubes and cables,greatly facilitatesthe handling of the tubes and cables, retains thesamein comparatively clean condition, aiulprovides'means for locking thetubes and cables against use and removal by unauthorized persons.

It will be understood that minor changes in size, form and constructionof the various parts of my improved housin for flexible service tubesand cables may be made and substituted for those herein shown anddescribed without departing from the spirit of my invention, the scopeof which is set forth in theappended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A housing for flexible service tubes and cables comprising anelongated housing provided with an opening through which a containedflexible member is adapted to pass, and separable antifriction rollersarranged within said housing adjacent to said opening.

2. A receiver for flexible service tubes and cables comprising anelongated housing provided with an opening through which a containedflexible member is adapted to pass, antifriction rollers arrangedwithinsaid housing adjacent to said opening, and

a pair of outwardly swinging doors adapted to close said opening and toenga the flexible member passing therethroug 3. The combination with ahousing, of

a supply pipe leading thereto, a flexible tubular member connected tosaid supply pipe and normally contained within said housing, acounterbalancing weight carried means by the flexible tube within said"housing,

there being an opening insaid housing through which the flexible tubei-sadapted to pass, and automatic means comprlsing a door for gripping theextending part of the tubular member.

4. The combination with a housing, of a supply pipe leading thereto, aflexible'tubular member connected to said supply pipe and normallycontained within said housing, a counterbalancing weight carried by theflexible tube within said housing, there being an opening in saidhousing through which the flexible tube is adapted. to pass, and a pairof selfclosing doors normally closing said opening.

The combination with a housing, of a supply pipe leading thereto, aflexible tubular member connected to said supply pipe and normallycontained within said housing, a counterbalancing weight carried by theflexible tube within said housing, there being an opening in saidhousing through which the flexible .tube is adapted .to pass,antifriction rollers arranged within the housing adjacent to the openingtherein and adapted to support the flexible tube during its movementthrough said opening, and a stop collar on said memher to engage thesaid rollers.

6. The combination with a housing, of a supply pipe leading thereto, aflexible, tubular, valved member connected to said supply pipe andnormally contained within said housing, a counterbalancing weightcarried by the flexible tube within said housing, there being an openingin said housing through which the flexible tube is adapted topass,door-s normally closing said opening, and antifriction rollersarranged within the housing adjacent to the opening thereinand adaptedto support the flexible tube during its movement through said opening,said rollers being separable to admit insertion of the valved end ofsaid member.

7. The combination with an elongated housing, of a supply pipeleading-thereto, a flexible tube arranged within said housing andconnected to said supply pipe, a counterbalancing weight connected tosaid flexible tube for normally retaining the same within said housing,there being an'opening formed in said housing through which the flexibletub'e'is adapted to pass, and doorlike elements for engaging said tubeand holding the withdrawn; portion against return movement into thehousing.

w. .'r. oALnnLn In testimony whereof I have signed my

